Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has expressed deep concerns about the state of governance and democracy in Nigeria. Speaking at a national conference in Abuja on strengthening democracy, the ex-governor sharply criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a party he helped found, accusing it of deviating from its founding principles and fostering poor leadership.
El-Rufai described the current political climate as a “national emergency,” lamenting the decline in governance and the apparent targeting of opposition parties for destruction. According to him, the APC’s original goals of combating corruption, revamping the economy, and improving security have been abandoned. He lamented the absence of internal party structures, stating, “No party organ of the APC has met for the past two years. No caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it is a zero-man show.”
The ex-governor revealed alarming findings from a recent poll that suggested 75% of registered voters do not intend to vote in the 2027 elections. He warned that this disillusionment among voters poses a severe threat to democracy. Reflecting on Nigeria’s history of military rule, El-Rufai stressed the need to prevent a return to authoritarianism, adding, “We don’t want civilians behaving like the military in their babbar riga and suits. This is a national emergency.”
El-Rufai urged opposition parties to unite and form a broad coalition, similar to the APC’s formation in 2014, to safeguard democracy. He emphasized that such a coalition must prioritize internal democracy to remain effective. “We have to put aside our differences and create a broad platform,” he said, warning that failure to act could push Nigeria closer to undemocratic governance.
Highlighting the targeting of opposition parties, El-Rufai accused internal actors of working to dismantle the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He claimed the PDP is being destroyed by “internal mercenaries” and predicted its demise unless urgent action is taken. He also cited discussions with Peter Obi of the Labour Party, who reportedly expressed confusion over internal challenges facing his party.
According to Daily Trust reports, El-Rufai said similar moves were being made towards the Labour Party, citing a conversation with Peter Obi, where Obi admitted, “I don’t know what is happening in the party that I contested for president.”
El-Rufai expressed frustration over the APC’s drift from its progressive ideals, acknowledging that his distance from the party has grown. However, he remained committed to addressing Nigeria’s pressing issues through political channels. “The problems remain the living problems of Nigerians and have to be addressed through the instrumentality of political parties,” he noted.
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